


Dirt to grow from

by kiimigi



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, One-Sided Relationship, Post-Season/Series 17, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:16:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26441047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiimigi/pseuds/kiimigi
Summary: After saving all of time itself, Donut had wanted to get away from the Reds and Blues for a while, just to see what life had to offer outside of them.So when Wash finds him, he takes him hostage so he can't run of and tell the others.Donut thinks he's a very good captor.
Relationships: Franklin Delano Donut/Agent Washington
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	Dirt to grow from

Donut stood with his hands on his hips as he looked down at what used to be his crops. They’re little more than mush and earth now. An animal must have gotten into it and ripped them apart in the night. He crouched down to see what he could salvage. It wasn’t much.

When he got away from the Reds and Blues, this is not what he had been imagining. 

He had pictured himself somewhere cute, somewhere relaxing and _easy._ Where he could kick back and enjoy the sun with his homemade cider.

Now he would have to replant everything and it settles heavily in his gut. It twisted his gut into knots and he can barely even look at the failure. He felt the restless itch under his skin that he needs to start work now, _this instant_. But the animal might just come back. He huffs at himself as he gets up, dusting his hands off as he tracks back.

Another thing he didn’t account for when he left were the Reds and Blues themselves. He had wanted to get away from them for a while, just to see what life had to offer outside of them. Not too long after he had set up his farm, he had seen smoke in the distance. He had tracked up the cliff and he sighed when he had spotted them in distance, little red and blue dots running around a canyon. Of course the universe kept them magnetized together like planets caught in ordit.

He walked away in the opposite direction. 

Wash found him first a couple of weeks later. Leave it to Wash to a hike out this far. Wash approached cautiously in full power armor. His weapon lowers when saw Donut with his hoe and sun hat. He had been wrestling with an attempt to fix his fences.

“Well that's rude” Donut said, cocking his head to the side.

“Donut?” He said, only then did Wash lower his weapon. His helmet was on so he could see his face but he could hear thr bewilderment in his voice “What are you doing here?”

He takes Wash hostage.

* * *

“Why am I tied up, Donut?”

“Because I don’t want you to tell the rest of the guys I’m here”

“Why not?” Donut leaned against his kitchen cabinets, crossing his arms over his chest and tried to think of a reason besides the fact that he doesn't want to see him, that he wants to be alone right now because even though it was true it sounded kind of mean. 

"Its a suprise?" Donut said, unconvinced

"Okay" Wash said, sounding equally unconvinced

"So you can't tell them!" Donut said leaning forward as he said it so Wash knew it was important.

"Okay" Wash said 

"Wait as second, were you the one that got into my field?" Donut said. Wash was wriggling in his seat, tugging at the ropes. Donut hadn’t tied him tight enough that Wash couldn’t get out on his own if he really wanted to.

"I was just as suprised as you to find you out here" Wash said. 

Donut pouted. It had been animals then. That's troublesome. It may take weeks to redo all that work and he wasn’t even sure if the animal would come back again and destroy his work all over again.

"Donut" Wash said. Donut must have been quite for a bit too long. He was used to letting the quite settle. He should probarly let Wash go now that he’s sure Wash won’t go running off to tell everyone he was here. He had work to do anyways.

Then an idea popped in his mind.

He has Wash hostage that meant he has to do anything he says. 

"As your captor, I declare that you need to help me plant some seed" Donut said, puffing himself up.

He saw Wash's face poof red.

"Not like that" Donut said quickly back peddling. “but if you don’t mind, I could use some help around the farm. You still owe me for last time"

“Okay” Wash said nervously. Wash had learnt early on to be careful with favours. Wash had been very careful to never owe Wyoming anything because that man would come and collect like the holy ghost.

"Are you sure?" Donut said. He hadn’t really expected him to agree. He wasn't really used to being listened to. 

“I’m not sure what I can do but I don’t mind” Wash said “I do owe you anyways”

* * *

Wash is very good at playing hostage. 

Donut felt a little bad about bossing him around but Wash doesn’t seem to mind. And he did need an extra pair of hands around the farm. 

Apparently, Wash was very good with his hands which probably translates from his knife work and all that training in hand to hand combat and he picks up handywork faster than Donut ever did. 

With Wash’s help, the fence is rebuilt in no time at all. 

“While you're at it there's a leak on tbe roof” Donut said

“What’s a leek doing up there?” Wash said with a goopy little smile 

“Not that type of leek, dummy” Donut laughed even as Wash trotts away.

The small tasks Donut hadn’t had the time to do gets scratched off one after another as Wash helps to fix the leak and clear some branches that had been piled up for forever and even managed to fixed his scarecrow. 

In their retirement, Wash had let himself go a little bit. He could see it in the rounding of his lines and softening of his belly. His beard was coming in again too. He wondered if he'd decide to keep it this time. He looked good with it. Time had mellowed him out but Wash was still so strong and there was a certainty to his actions that comes with actual skill. 

“Whats next?” Wash said after his break. 

Donut rested his head in his hands as tries to think of what the next best step is.

He could get Wash to set up the frames and supports for the crops but he’s been putting it off. He's pretty sure the animal would just come again and ruin it again.

He’s not sure what he had been doing wrong. He had been s sure the repellents he had put down would keep any animals away. 

Back home, he’d know exactly what to do. But here he can barely keep Earth plants alive, much less alien plants. 

Donut remembered months of fumbling around with clumsy attempt of trying to make this work.

Over time he had picked up a thing or two. He had learnt the seasons of this planet, he learnt that the soil at the bottom of the cliff was much more fertile and when he could transfer the seedlings from the Earth soil to the Alien soil. He learnt which Earth seeds could even survive here and which couldn't. 

After he had relearned Earth plants he had moved onto Alien plants. 

He learnt that the glowing leaves that look like theyre poisnos actually made a nice tea and after a night of with his head down the toliet, he learnt that while the glowing blue mushroom should be avoid, the glowing blue mushrooms _with white dots_ were delicious and grew really well pretty much anywhere.

But that was all redundant if he couldn't keep the beasts away. He buried his face in his knees.

He takes a deep breath pushing all that aside all this melodrama won't help to clear up the mess. 

* * *

He and Wash spent the late afternoon surrounded by the smell of turned earth as they shoveled dead plants into the wheelbarrow and prepared the ground for the new crops. 

“Are you sure about those mushrooms?” Wash said, crounching beside him and picking up a blue mushroom “Grif ate some of them and it wasn’t pretty”

“No, these are okay. See these have white dots on the cap.” He explains “I’ll cook up some for you later”

Wash looked a little uncertain but nodes anyways 

“How are they doing?” Donut said because it was almost expected of him. “Grif and Simmons and Sarge and the rest i mean”

“The same as they always are.” Wash said, getting up and dusting his hands as he looks around “So what's next?”

Donut smiled. It's nice to have someone so eager to listen to him. He reached his hand up and Wash helped to pull Donut up. 

“I need you to grab my rod”

Wash’s face goes beat red again and Donut’s follows as embarrassment burns his face when he realised his mistake 

“Damm it!” Donut shouted and smacked his cheeks.

“I don’t mind” Wash said quickly, but he was only trying to make him feel better

“I mind!” Donut snapped as stomped away. He goes to tend to his garden but Wash follows him. Wash watched him work quietly, giving him space until Donut calmed down.

What was it that Wash said? Mistakes were the dirt you grew from? Well he wished it was a little less oranigac and more linear. 

“Which do you like better” Donut said finally, inviting Wash next to him “the blue or pink hygreas? I want to plant them all around the house”

“I don't know, they’re both pretty.”

Donut huffs, that wasn't the answer he was looking for. Wash laughs at his reaction before he saw Wash really think about it. 

“I think I like the blue” Wash said finally

“I think I’ll go with the pink” Wash laughed at that. 

Donut showed Wash how to depot the plant and how to properly plant them into the he had dug before he goes to get them both a drink. But when he returns, he found Wash staring at the ground, shovel half buried and surrounded by Blue hygreades.

“I see you really did like the blue more after all?” 

Wash jumped. He looked a little confused and his eyebrows scrunch up as he looked around at his feet and at the shovel in his hands "Did I do it wrong? Sorry, I...forgot. "

"It doesn't matter.” Donut said “They're both pretty "

"Yeah" Wash said but he’s still not quite looking at him. 

Donut thinks he's a very good captor. He rewards Wash with lemonande and mushroom sandwiches. They sit on the porch as they eat and watch the sun go down. The stress seemed to melt away as he laughed at Wash’s sarge impression and the radio plays behind them. Its been so long that he got to entertain. He hadn’t realise he had missed it. 

* * *

Eventually, Tucker wondered up to "rescue" Wash with a "oh, hey dude you're here too?"

Apparently, Caboose had started trying to keep the dinosaurs as pets and Tucker needed Wash’s help to talk him down from it. Wash sighed, getting up. Donut stood too, hovering at the edge of his porch. It would be all too easy to be sucked into the whirlwind of their chaos again and maybe it wouldn't be that awful. 

Donut waved as they go.

Later, Donut kind of regrets not going with them. He stretched out on his hammock, enjoying the cool night air and the bugs chirped in the grass as he watched over his farm. Each rustle in the bush a unseen creature. He tugged the blanket up to his chin and tipped his head back and looked at the sky. It's all too easy to remember the nights in Blood gulch. He curled up and tries to sleep with a strange ache in his chest.

* * *

Wash came to visit now and again. Donut set aside a blanket and pillow just in case he decided to stay over. Wash usually came around early morning when he goes for a hike or when he just needs some quite. 

Sometimes presents appear on his doorstep after a long day in the field.

Sometimes he worries that Wash would forget the way home while he's on a hike and get horribly lost. He'd have to go paint markers on trees when had the time so Wash could always find his way back home.

One day, Wash and Caboose crest the hill. Caboose is skipping along, carrying a crate over his head. Caboose hugged him, lifting him off his feet. The crate was a supply drop from Chorus, Wash had explained. It was full of chocolates and basic necessities that Wash had put an extra order in for him. 

Grif came around too sometimes. When Grif and Simmons try to raid his garden, Wash hoppes off the porch and chased them away all the way down back to base. A “No Grif and Simmon Allowed” sprouted up beside his scarecrow which now bears a scar on its cheek similar to Wash’s

On a hot cloudless day, Donut spotted Wash, still a grey and yellow dot in the distance. He waved but Wash didn't come closer than the tree line. He’s in full power armour again. It kind of looked like he’s going hunting.

* * *

Grif came around just because he could and Simmons is probarly upset at him again. He doesn't bother asking him to help but Grif does sit on the lawn chair as kept him company as he worked on his crops. Grif’s chatter filled the air as he tells Donut all the good gossip and it's nice to hear what people are up to. He talked a little to the leaves so they don't feel ignored. 

Donut looked up to see Wash coming up the hill. He's not in his PT kit which meant that he isn't on a hike. He must have come up here specifically for him. He does now and again but it's still rare and pleasant. 

As he got closer and waved but his steps faltered when he saw Grif. It looked like he wanted to run.

“Hey, dude what's up?” Grif said when he got closer.

“Hey, Wash,” Donut said, standing up and dusted off his hands on his pants. 

Wash stood awkwardly, looking between Donut and Grif. Wash's mouth opened before he closes it again. Donut continues to look expectdly at him. Instead of looking at them, Wash suddenly found everywhere but them very interesting. 

"The-the flowers look great" he said sounding a little desperate, clumsily gesturing to the blue and pink hygreades surrounding the house. He sees Wash find of cringe at himself.

"All thanks to your help.” He’s always surprised at just how easily Wash blushes.

"Its nice weather we're having today." He said and it's like a car trying to sputter to life.

"Perfect for walking" Donut said

"Yes" 

They fall into silence again and Wash does his impression of a gaping fish as he rocked forward on toes. He kelt looking nervously to Grif “I’ll be going then"

“Oh, okay”

In his rush to leave, all his grace and agility that Wash has shown in a fight abaondons him as tripped over his own feet. Donut watches Wash’s shrinking figure running down the hill. Grif appeared behind him “whats wrong with him?”

“I don’t know”

* * *

The harvest season came. His plants survive. He invited Wash over and they share a feast of the new crops over a nice bottle of wine. He's fed Wash well and he had softened even further. Wash humms his appreaciation as spoops another spoonful into his mouth and a warmth fell over Donut. 

After dinner they sit outside, they're legs swinging of the side of the porch. It's a cool cloudly night, the moon winking in between clouds. In the distance, they could see the small glow of the Red and Blue base.

“What was I saying again?” Wash said but Donut just giggles and rested his head on his shoulder looking out at his farm. 

“It seems so simple now. I feel like such a idiot that it took me so long to figure it out.”

“You’re doing wonderfully, Donut” Wash said with a sudden conviction “and I love- I really love spending time here. I could have never done this.”

Donut laughed. Wash blushes so easily. He wondered how he hide anything at all.

“Am I really?” Donut said “It doesn't feel like it sometimes.”

He felt like he should be doing more, be further along by now. He guessed there wasn't much he could do about that tonight. 

His eyes fixed on some distant point in the night. Condensation pools around the glass, half drank and forgotten. The grass rustled softly in cool nights breeze. The bugs chirpped and somewhere a twig snapped and something noses the ground looking for food. But Donut can't see it yet. His little radio playing a crackling song.

He would have to start preparing the next harvest soon and Wash would need to help him build a new fence and he would need to find more pesticide but would that be enough to protect it from whatever is still out there. He still felt so clumsy. 

Even if it felt like the right decision now, how could he know he wouldn't regret it later? He could be doing everything wrong. There were things out there that he didn’t even know he should be preparing for and by the time it hits him it would be too late.

He wondered when he started worrying so much.

“There's always something else out there.” Donut said softly. Wash looks a little confused. Not the confused when he's just forgotten something but Donut realises he just spoke the end trails of his thought.

“That's true.” Wash said looking in the distance as well “But nothings here now. Nothing happening right now. That can be good enough. You can worry about it tomorrow”

“I guess so”

Donut yawned and leaned against Wash. The moon slide out from behind the clouds.

From the trees, something watches them illuminated by the moon. It raised its big wet nose as it scents the air before it blinks and moves on. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> (This was low key inspired by that one Marceline & Bubblegum episode)


End file.
